Archive for November, 2008:
Blogger’s Challenge – Inspiration
Don’t forget! The Holiday Extravaganza is still going on (thru December 1st). Don’t miss out on these great bundled prices!
Today’s Blogger’s Challenge was to use this picture of a bedding ensemble as inspiration for our card. My guess at the colors is Really Rust, So Saffron and Very Vanilla. I liked the color block images and the softness of the medallions in the fabric. It appears shimmery to me, too.
So, I started with the Fresh Cuts stamp set to give me the monochromatic look of Really Rust on Very Vanilla. I layered that on Really Rust and used it as my base card, too. I then found the print from Haiku Designer Paper that has Really Rust tones along with So Saffron in a medallion-like print. I added some of the new So Saffron twill ribbon across the bottom…it’s the first time I’ve used it and I really like it! It added that shimmer I was seeking.
Then I used my 5 petal punch and star punch to create a flower for the upper left and added a Build a Brad in the center with a 1/2" circle punched from the Haiki designer paper…I love how that draws the background to the forefront and it is such an easy touch! I added a little tag "For You" from the same set and used gold cord to hang it from the flower.
Hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving! Today I need to work on my classes for next week. I have the ideas, just need to get them roughed out on paper.
Have a great weekend!
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
Happy Thanksgiving! Hope you have a wonderful turkey day! We are headed to my mom and dad’s shortly for a Thanksgiving meal. Next year it is my turn, but this year I only needed to make the Pumpkin Pie and Cranberry Salad. Those are my traditional contributions. What are your traditions? Do you do anything special or unusual?
Since I used Season of Friendship for my Halloween cards and my Patriotic card on election day, I had to continue the trend and use it for my Thanksgiving card this year. I only mailed out about a dozen to friends and family. I’m sure it is heavily inspired by several other cards I’ve seen using the Top Note die. I paired it with the Autumn Vine Designer Paper. I love every single pattern in that package!
A very simple card, really. The base is Chocolate Chip, layered on top with Autumn Vine, then a Very Vanilla Top Note diecut. I stamped Happy Thanksgiving with Chocolate Chip ink and punched it with the Wide Oval. I wrapped some Chocolate Chip ribbon around the diecut, and sponged around the edges with Chocolate Chip ink. Leaves were stamped with Old Olive, More Mustard and Really Rust and the trunk with Chocolate Chip. That’s it!
I just want to mention how grateful I am that Stampin’ Up! has given me an outlook for my creative expression. In addition, it has truly brought some wonderful people into my life that I would never have met otherwise. I remember going to Convention for my first time 7 years ago and my upline (who had been in the business for 7 years then), seemed to know everyone and say hi. I was amazed. Now, when I go to Leadership or Convention, I love renewing the friendships and catching up with people I only see 1-2 times a year!
I’m also thankful to be blessed with a wonderful family, good health and my needs more than met. What more can I say? I am thankful.
DCBD 103 Sketch Challenge
Today’s Diva Coffee Break Design Challenge is another sketch. I had fun playing with this one! I turned the sketch a couple different ways to try things out, but ended up liking it the best in the original format. I also tried a couple different sets, but ended up with Mr. Twigster! I just think he is the cutest little snowman. I’m making my Christmas tags this year with him, too!
For the base, I started with Tangerine Tango and then a layer of Chocolate Chip (do you know how much Chocolate Chip I’ve gone thru this catalog? A lot of our designer papers have that color in it!) I then added a section of the mitten print from Frost Day Designer Paper and a coordinating dotted strip of DSP in that same package. I wrapped some Kiwi Kiss satin ribbon around that (if you haven’t tried this ribbon, you don’t know what you are missing! It ties SO nice and has such a shimmery look!) I colored in Mr. Twigster and his packages with Kiwi Kiss, Tangerine Tango and Bashful Blue, along with his striped scarf and nose. Then I grounded him with some Bashful Blue at his feet and shadows on his body. Finally, I added some two-way glue and Dazzling Diamonds to make him sparkle! The Olive mini brads across the top finish off the card.
Make sure to check out all the other talented Diva Coffee Break Designers’ creations this week!
Lisa Freeman
Chris Austin
Dannie Graves
Dee Tollaksen
Heidi Michel
Julie Semones
Kristin Moore
Selene Kempton
Vivian Swain
It’s here! Holiday Extravaganza Sale!
Here it is! The Holiday Extravaganza Sale is here at last! Hurry…check it out….then go to my Stampin’ Up! WEBSITE and place your order! At my website, click on the Shop Now button in the upper right corner! Supplies are limited. Or, of course, you can always email me to place your order.
Birds and Blooms Sizzix diecut
REMEMBER: TOMORROW IS THE DAY! Stampin’ Up! is offering some extra special sale prices on selected merchandise just in time for gift giving (even if the gift is for yourself!) Check my WEBSITE tomorrow for more details, once there click on Shop Now in the upper right corner. First ordered, first served. There will be limited quantities available! Don’t miss out!
I wanted to share with you a card that I received because I think it is spectacular! I participated in a red/white/blue challenge on one of my groups. We were partnered with a person and had to send them a card. I showed you mine a few days ago. Here is the one that I received in return from Laura Lipe. Isn’t it wonderful? No stamping on it. Just the Sizzix exclusive dies from Stampin’ Up! and some designer paper, punches, ribbon and cardstock. I love it!
Notice how she used the wide oval punch behind the bird and then the large star punch behind the word PEACE. What a great patriotic card! Also notice the rounded corners on each layer. I never think to do that. Also how she tied a little Pacific Point ribbon along with the Riding Hood Red. Of course, I already love the Pacific Point, Riding Hood Red and Whisper White colors together!
Thanks again for a great card, Laura!
Stay tuned tomorrow for the Diva Coffee Break Designer challenges!
Merry & Bright Snowman Bucket
If you haven’t noticed, I added a HOLIDAY WISH LIST page to the top of my Blog! Feel free to let your spouses and family know that they can order your wish list items from me…fast and easy!
I made up several of these Snowman buckets for the craft fair this year. Sold out of all of them except this lonely one sitting at my house!
The color scheme started with the manicure sets that I picked up at the Target Dollar Spot last year, along with the white buckets. They have emery boards, nail brush, cuticue pusher, nail file in them and were a Purely Pomegranate pink color. When I was looking thru the Dollar Store this year, I found the lotion and fizz ball in the same Pomegranate color!
To unify the colors even more, I wrapped the lotion in the designer papers from last year’s Holiday Harmony, wrapped the Purely Pomegranate double-stitched ribbon around it and tied on a Snowman scallop circle medallion.
I stamped the snowman medallions from Merry & Bright in Basic Black and colored her with my Purely Pomegranate ink pad and Mauve Mist marker (hey…it matched perfectly!) I also had some old Mauve Mist cardstock laying around that I used for the punched Scallop Circles and Purely Pomegranate for the layered circles. I added a little bit of liquid glue and Dazzling Diamonds to the edge of the snowmen to make them sparkle!
The manicure sets I made a topper from the Holiday Harmony DSP and the Top Note Bigz Die, folded it over the cello bag and stapled shut. The Purely Pomegranate Double Stitched ribbon hides the staples and I added one of the snowman medallions over top with a dimensional.
The fizz ball I placed in a small cello bag and tied the Purely Pomegranate ribbon around it with the snowman medallion, too.
I ran some of the Holiday Harmony DSP thru the Big Shot with my snowflake dies and adhered them to the outside of the white buckets. I filled the bottom of the buckets with white crinkle shred, then tucked in the three packages. Don’t they look cute sitting in there? Finally, for the craft fair, I wrapped the entire bucket with a large, gusset cello bag and tied it closed with the ribbon and a tag.
I have so much fun making up little gift sets like this. It is a great way to use up the retired papers and ribbons I have stored away. Plus it makes a great gift for someone that seems more personal since it is hand-made.
THANK YOU! 150,000 Views!
Oh my! Sometime yesterday, we FLEW by the 150,000 views on my Blog! I can’t believe it! I am so grateful for those of you who visit my Blog…sometimes several times a day. It means a lot to me that you appreciate my work. And those of you who leave comments…I love it! I know you are out there and it isn’t just me talking to no one! I started my Blog never thinking that I would be as consistent at posting as I am or that I would still be doing it over a year later! But I found it is a great way to share what I’m working on with you.
I wanted to share something I mailed into Stampin’ Up! for their contest…no, I didn’t win, but I thought it was a great idea to do for your Christmas photo card! Mary Polcin I think was the one who showed the idea of altering the CD Folders. I shared a similar one to this as our Make & Take at our demo Convention Roundup meeting last August. This one, I added some additional ribbons and embellishments to jazz it up a little.
I started with the stamp set, Snow Swirled and the Holiday Treasures designer paper. I stamped the snowflake in Baja Breeze over the Baja Breeze cardstock (background). I inked the Snow Swirled Tree in Versamark, then Baja Breeze and stamped on Whisper White, then embossed with Iridescent Ice embossing powder (VERY sparkly in real life!). Added a filigree brad to the top of the tree, and the Kiwi Kiss satin ribbon for a touch of elegance.
Inside, I covered the left side with more Baja Breeze cardstock and stamped the snowflake again randomly. I added a strip of the Holiday Treasures DSP and scalloped the edge. I also added a bit of bling with the Snow Blossom punch (The snowflake is an perfect match for this punch) and a Rhinestone brad in the center of it. Then I cut a square of 2 3/4 x 2 3/4 Whisper White cardstock, used my Scallop Edge punch centered on each side to get a scalloped square design inside the overall square (does that make sense? lol!). On one edge, I looped some Kiwi Kiss ribbon around and tied it. I backed up the Whisper White with Riding Hood Red cardstock, so the red color peeked through.
The right side I stamped the small snowflake in Riding Hood Red randomly, used the Season’s Greetings stamp with Chocolate Chip and punched with the Key Tag punch…added another strip of the designer paper that I scalloped. Inside that flap, I placed a photo of my son, Ross, and his girlfriend, Allie, on Riding Hood Red cardstock, punched a Round Tab out of Baja Breeze and used the snowflake punched with 1/2 circle punch and another Rhinestone brad in the center.
The third picture you can see the Christmas Letter that I tucked inside the left side. I used the Round Tab punch again in Baja Breeze with the snowflake and Rhinestone brad.
Finally, the back I covered with more Holiday Treasures designer paper.
I was pretty happy with how it turned out! I was hoping for an "announcement" from either one of my boys that I could send this out as an engagement announcement for Christmas…but no such luck. Still waiting! Oh well…maybe after Christmas? lol!
Blogger’s Challenge – Giving Thanks
This week’s Blogger’s Challenge was to create a card or project to Give Thanks. I thought I’d get a head start, so earlier this week I did spend some time doing a couple challenges with Mary and Lisa. But, I was not so productive OR creative. I think the mess in my room had gotten to me! I ended up tearing this card apart several times, but here is the final version. We were to use this sketch by Julie over at Poetic Artistry and a fall theme. It really wasn’t a hard sketch, I just had creative block I think. lol!
I pulled out my Autumn Vine designer paper and used the little "button" background paper for my colors. The reverse is the Sage Shadow stripe…since I had cut that piece off, I decided to use it, too. I layered the designer paper onto Kraft cardstock (yep…more Kraft!) then placed the felt ribbon around the Kraft layer. Then I ran into trouble. I tried several different images to go in that upper left block, but nothing was working right. The felt ribbon was just too thick for anything I was putting there (I tried A Flower for All Seasons and the scale was just OFF.) I ended up taking that piece off and reworking it with the Sizzix Leaves diecuts. Much better in scale, I think. So, although it isn’t my favorite creation…it has "passed". lol!
Hope you enjoy this week’s Blogger’s Challenge. Have a great weekend.
GO BUCKS!!! BEAT MICHIGAN!
Winter Post – Burnished Embossing
My technique classes did this card at their classes this past month. A pretty simple background technique with lots of wow! I think it looks best when done with more of an open type stamp…something that allows the darker color to pop through…like on this lacy snowflake from Winter Post Stamp Set! I used White embossing powder, but you could use clear or even Iridescent Ice for a more subtle look.
The strip of designer paper is from Ski Slope in the mini catalog. I still LOVE that paper! I’ve used up all this stripe, I think. The set, Winter Post, is one of my favorites, as you can tell by the number of times I posted cards done with it! I stamped the skaters in Basic Brown and used my Blender Pen to color in their clothes with Baja Breeze, Kiwi Kiss and Riding Hood Red. The Santa Post medallion is in that same set, however I punched out just the 1" circle, instead of using the entire image. This card really came together quickly! It is not too late to order your supplies to make your Christmas cards! Just give me a call for some personal help with your order, or use the fast and quick Online Ordering Shop Now button on my website!
DCBD102 – Color Challenge
Wow…it’s Wednesday and time for the Diva’s Coffee Break Designers to show off their challenge! This week’s challenge was to create with color…Cameo Coral, Bravo Burgundy, Close to Cocoa, Always Artichoke and So Saffron. Wow…5 colors! That is a lot for me! I made one, but wasn’t entirely happy with it, so I created another example. Today you get 2 for 1!
The first one I used A Happy Heart in the Holiday mini (I bet you didn’t even really look at that set since Valentine’s Day is so far away!) I fell in love with the little heart Tic Tac Toe board…too cute! I started with the background. I wanted something that would blend the colors of So Saffron, Cameo Coral and Bravo Burgundy together and I don’t have any Stampin’ Up! designer papers with those colors. So, I took a piece of Watercolor paper and stamped the large heart from the set randomly all over in those three colors. Then I spritzed my water spritzer all over to make the colors bleed together. I like the random look it gave me. I let it dry and mounted it on Always Artichoke. Then I took the background So Saffron layer and my scoring blade and made checkerboard scoring lines all across the background (unfortunately most of it is covered up!) I used my markers in So Saffron, Cameo Coral and Bravo Burgundy to ink up the Tic Tac Toe board on Very Vanilla and layered it on Always Artichoke. I took a strip of Close to Cocoa designer paper from the Frosty Day package and added three Saffron brads on the left side. Finally I stamped I "heart" U with markers Always Artichoke and Bravo Burgundy and stamped on Cameo Coral and punched it with the large oval punch.
So…ok…I like it…I don’t LOVE it…but I do like it.
I decided to go ahead and make up another sample. This one I went with a floral stamp set, Bloomin’ Beautiful. I loved this set when it was in the Mini, but I’ve hardly used it since then! When I inked it up, I was reminded how much I did like it!
I used my markers to ink up the pot of flowers with Cameo Coral, Always Artichoke and Close to Cocoa with small touches of Bravo Burgundy. Then I used my Aqua Painter to bleed the colors together on Very Vanilla. I like the softness of this technique. It is hard to see, but I added a layer of acetate over top of the image with the word Bloom stamped with Black Stazon and secured with Always Artichoke mini brads. On the So Saffron layer, I stamped the definition of Blossom and added the letter B from Defining Alphabet over top in So Saffron…sort of a shadow image. Last, I used the Alpine stripe ribbon that is in the mini catalog along the left side. I thought the colors in it were close enough to match.
So…those are my two color challenge cards for the DCBD 102 Color Challenge! Which one do you like best?
Here are the others to check out this week!
Vivian Swain
Chris Austin
Dannie Graves
Dee Tollaksen
Heidi Michel
Julie Semones
Kristen Moore
Selene Kempton
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